


Keep Your Feet Firm on the Ground

by hopecanbeyoursword



Series: edge of the world [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Gen, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Titles, Identity Reveal, M/M, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Protective Natasha Romanov, Supportive May Parker (Spider-Man), Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:00:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23901979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopecanbeyoursword/pseuds/hopecanbeyoursword
Summary: Peter always came home no more than two hours after he left for a walk.But two hours come and go, and Harley worries.
Relationships: Harley Keener/Peter Parker, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones & Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Natasha Romanov, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: edge of the world [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1724527
Comments: 3
Kudos: 164





	Keep Your Feet Firm on the Ground

**Author's Note:**

> Italics are thoughts, Karen, or the characters speaking in Russian, depending on the situation

The door slammed as Peter walked out of their apartment, like he did after every tense fight.

Harley sighed, frustrated. He was used to his boyfriend needing time to clear his head so they could discuss rationally, so Peter going for a walk wasn’t strange. It wasn’t running away, either. Peter needed to move around to get rid of the restless energy so he was calm when they talked, and Harley used the time to bake bread, which they’d eat as they went over their disagreement.

It was familiar, but not common place. However, their fights had started taking a sharp turn, as Peter was coming home with faded bruises and cuts way too often for Harley’s liking. Harley wanted to know what was happening, wanted to help, but Peter always waved the concern away.

“It’s fine. I’m just clumsy, you know that.” or “Mr. Stark helped patch me up.” or “Dr. Cho said I was free to go.”

Harley knew that Tony had the best doctors around. He went to them, too. After he moved to New York, he was able to spend more time with Tony, which is how he had met Peter. As close as Harley and Tony were, thanks to the Mandarin incident, there was an extra layer of protectiveness between Peter and Tony.

When Harley learned Peter’s story, he figured Tony knew Peter needed something constant in his life. He had May, but with dead parents and a dead uncle, the nightmares reared their heads. Tony had a way of calming Peter down, and Harley was never jealous of it. It didn’t make his bond with the man any less special. Peter just had something extra he needed help with.

Tony was Harley’s mentor, but he was Peter’s dad.

It was all fine, and good, until the two started keeping secrets.

They would duck out of the lab whenever Tony got what Harley had taken to calling “Code Red,” because it was always that serious. FRIDAY would skirt around the questions Harley asked her about it, and made sure he stayed in the lab while the other two would duck out, sometimes only coming back hours later. There were folders in FRIDAY’s system that only Tony, Peter, Pepper, and Rhodes were allowed to see. It was how serious Tony was about the two of them going to school, but not saying anything on the few occasions Peter skipped school. It was the nightmares Peter wouldn’t talk to Harley about, instead going to a different room to call Tony if they weren’t at the compound. It was the late nights the two of them had, only Pepper allowed in to bring them food, or to drag them to bed. It was the trips they took to other states or countries, where the Avengers would then show up. As Tony’s personal intern, Peter was allowed to work on the suits more than anyone else, and went with the man on missions to help monitor vitals and fix any equipment that needed it.

Harley knew he could help. Tony let him help with Clint’s arrows, or Bucky’s arm, or Steve’s armor. Spider-Man, Black Widow, and War Machine were off limits to him, and he occasionally was able to help with the Iron Man armor.

“Delicate coding” was the excuse for the three with Iron technology based suits. “You don’t want to mess up Nat’s equipment. Honestly, she likes Peter’s work better than mine.” Tony would wave it off, letting Harley take full control over any Falcon upgrades.

It didn’t bother Harley at first. He and Sam got along well, taking turns teasing Bucky and Peter, and pulling small pranks on Clint and Scott. In Tony’s words, they were both “sarcastic little shits,” but it’s what made them get along so well.

It was when Rhodey and Natasha started getting roped into whatever Tony and Peter were up to, that things changed. Rhodey wasn’t new, but he was becoming more involved, and stopped by to whisk Peter away to another floor for “help.” Natasha taught Peter Russian, and the two would throw snark at each other, only for the spy to ruffle Peter’s hair with a small smile after.

Everyone at the compound, except Harley, seemed to know something.

They had to, since Peter would disappear to the compound for a couple hours each night, saying they needed him for something. Sometimes it was Steve, or Bucky, or Wanda. But it never took more than two hours. Same with Peter’s walks.

Harley knew his boyfriend would get lost in his head, and not realize how long he was gone, or how far he walked. However, the Stark watch Peter had would tell him if two hours had passed, and Peter would come home.

But this time, he didn’t.

* * *

Harley was anxious as he kept glancing up at the clock. He had finished baking the bread thirty minutes ago, and Peter had been gone for two and a half hours.

 _Fifteen more minutes, then I text him_. Harley wanted to give his boyfriend a little time, in case he it was taking longer to walk back to their apartment.

But another half hour passed, and none of his texts had gotten a response.

It was now three in the morning.

Their argument was later than they usually were, since Harley had been at the library finishing up a paper. He had gotten home, ready to sleep, but he was stressed from classes, and Peter was stressed from the work he was doing in the labs (having graduated the previous year), and sometimes, they didn’t handle it well.

Ignoring the time, Harley sent texts to MJ and Ned, hoping that Peter had gone to visit them, and they lost track of time. He also sent a message to May, hoping she had seen her nephew.

None of them answered, even though his text had been seen by MJ.

Frustrated and worried, Harley had two more people he could try. He tried calling Tony, along with sending about a dozen texts. He also tried texting the number Peter had given him for “Karen,” whoever that was. All Harley knew was that Peter thought of her as family.

With no answer, Harley’s heart rate sped up, imagining the scenarios that could’ve played out. Shoving on his shoes, and grabbing a jacket, Harley made his way out of the apartment. His breathing was faster than normal, but he tried to push it aside. No one was answering, and at least MJ had seen the message. They were hiding something from him, or at least, she was. As much as MJ rolled her eyes at Peter and Ned, even Harley, and as much as she called them losers, they were her friends. She cared. If she didn’t know what happened to Peter, she would be concerned, too.

Harley let his feet guide him, walking with no real destination until he reached a bus stop. Under the dim glow of the lamp post, he sat on the bench, trying to breathe.

_What happened?_

* * *

Peter had left the apartment around midnight, scowling. The argument was as much his fault as Harley’s, but that didn’t mean part of Peter wanted to blame his boyfriend. Before he could say something he would regret, he left, slipping his web shooters on.

As soon as he was out of the building, he ducked into the alley. Pressing the button on his watch, his new nano-tech suit slipped on in the blink of an eye. And Peter was off, swinging through the air, Karen’s voice warm in his ear.

“What do you have for me today, Karen?”

Peter felt the tension ease from his shoulders as he swung in the direction Karen told him too. Swinging through the air made him feel light, and everything that came with being Peter Parker disappeared, and he was just Spider-Man.

He worked on autopilot, walking people home, stopping bike thefts with a sarcastic quip as he webbed up the bad guy, and keeping an eye on the park, where he knew a string of attacks had started a week ago. Peter tried to be there whenever possible, but if he didn’t get back to the apartment, or didn’t get MJ or Ned to cover for him, Harley would worry.

There were always police patrolling the area, but somehow, the perpetrator still managed to evade capture. Every night, Peter was on high alert, checking in with Karen every five minutes. Tony was helping, too. He sifted through camera footage to try and find something, and Natasha had promised as soon as she got back from her current mission, she would stake out the park. She and Peter got along well, maybe because they were both spider themed heroes.

Only one more night before Natasha was back, and Peter was determined to have _something_ to show her.

A scream broke through his thoughts, and he immediately made a turn towards the park. He could see all the police converging on the noise as he swung past them. His heart beat quickly, and his body was tense. This could be it, and he needed to help. Helping people was part of him, like it was written into his DNA, only enhanced by the spider bite.

Peter didn’t expect the gun, but in hindsight, he should’ve.

This guy was smart. Smart enough to make his way around police, avoid cameras, and strike when Spider-Man wasn’t around.

As he swung in, Peter could feel the anger rise. A girl, probably a couple years younger than him, was screaming, struggling to get away. He could see the fear in her eyes.

“Karen, send an ambulance. She should get checked out. Preferably by a female paramedic.”

_Of course._

A kick to the face distracted the man. Peter flipped, landing on his feet in front of him, putting himself between the man and the girl. He could hear the police closing in.

“You’re not getting away this time, dude. There’s no getting out.”

The man smirked, and the hairs on the back of Peter’s neck stood up. Before he could blink, the man had grabbed Peter, wrapping his arm around his neck. The man pulled out a gun, pressing the barrel to Peter’s forehead.

“To save their precious hero, I think the police will let me go.”

Peter’s heart felt like it stopped. Rationally, he knew he was stronger, and could break away. But the girl was still there, and he couldn’t let her get hurt.

“Let her go, and I won’t try and stop you.” Peter threw his safety out the window, prioritizing the terrified girl. As long as she was okay, he could figure out his safety later.

The man grinned. When the police approached, he gestured towards the girl. “You can take her. But unless you want Spider-Man here to die, you’re going to let me go.”

Peter took a deep breath, nodding so minutely that no one noticed except Karen. She had analyzed the criminal’s face, gathered all the information on him available, and had it ready to send. When Peter nodded, she sent the information to the police, Tony, and Natasha. She also activated Peter’s tracker, so Tony could come help.

“An ambulance is on its way,” Peter called out as the man dragged him away. “Make sure she’s okay.”

Peter didn’t struggle until they were out of the park. As soon as they were clear of any civilians, he broke free. Knowing Tony was coming, he pushed all his nerves to the side. Peter trusted his instincts, landing a few blows. However, as the man punched him in the face, Peter lost sight of the man for a few moments. Just long enough for the man to shoot.

One, two, three. Three bullets, three loud bangs. All Peter could hear, all he could feel. He could feel a flashback, a memory, a _nightmare_ trying to creep in. It threatened to overwhelm him, but Peter tried to push past it. He needed Karen, the only comforting voice nearby.

“Karen,” Peter whispered, wincing at the pain. “Where’s Tony?”

 _Two minutes away. I’ve alerted him to your condition, and enacted the “'Funky-Town' Protocol.”_ Peter managed a laugh at that. He named a lot of codes after the shows he watched. “Funky-Town” was from Supernatural. It felt fitting.

“Thanks.” Peter’s eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to control his breathing. The protocol in question alerted Tony, May, MJ, and Ned to any serious injures he received on patrol. However, Peter was pretty sure Natasha made sure she would be contacted, too. Before he could ask his AI to tell Harley he was at the compound, everything went black.

* * *

Tony was pacing back and forth, waiting for Dr. Cho to come out with news.

May, MJ, Ned, Happy, and Pepper were also in the waiting room. As soon as Tony knew Peter had been hurt, he sent Happy to pick up May, MJ, and Ned. Even though Tony wanted to go after the man who had shot his kid, he knew Natasha could handle it. She was protective over Peter, and no one could hide from her.

Tony stopped when Helen came out ten minutes later, looking tired, but not anxious.

“He’ll be okay. If it wasn’t for his enchanted healing, I would be more concerned. He’s asleep right now, but you can go in and see him.”

“Thank god,” May breathed, the first one up.

Everyone else voiced their thanks, bidding Dr. Cho goodbye before piling into Peter’s room. It was a routine that was all too familiar. MJ and Ned took up their spot on the couch on the right side of the bed, curling up under the blankets. Happy took the chair closest to the door, while Pepper passed out pillows, water bottles, and books. After everything was passed out, she sat with Tony and May, who were on the other side of Peter.

They knew Peter hated waking up alone, and they weren’t a fan of not being there for him, either. It was at times like these that MJ let her walls down. She didn’t trust easy, and hated showing emotions to people she didn’t trust. But everyone in the room was there for the same reason. Peter. And over the years, she had come to trust them.

“FRIDAY, dim the lights please.”

FRIDAY listened to Tony, dimming the lights. They were dim enough that whoever wanted to sleep, could, but still bright enough that whoever couldn’t sleep, could read.

By the time seven am rolled around, they were all asleep. MJ’s head was tilted back, over the edge of the couch. Her hair was falling out of her loose ponytail. Ned’s head was resting on her shoulder, legs spread out on the remainder of the couch. Happy was slumped in the chair, head titled down to his chest in a way that would give him a sore neck. He was snoring quietly.

May’s feet were tucked under Pepper’s legs. Her hand was wrapped around Peter’s, needing to have reassurance he would be okay. Pepper was on her side, curled up to Tony, hair spilling around her shoulders. Tony curled towards his wife, shifting every so often, restless even in his sleep.

For a few hours they all rested peacefully, none the wiser to the frantic texts and calls coming in.

It wasn’t that they wanted to keep injuries from Harley. They knew how he worried about his boyfriend. But they respected Peter’s wishes of keeping his identity a secret. And in the midst of the crisis, it had slipped their minds. Before Harley had come to live in New York, it had only been them. Pepper, Tony, May, MJ, Ned, and Peter. Sometimes, when they were too worried, they felt like it was years ago. That there weren’t a ton more people who cared about Peter.

Which is why the Avengers, minus Natasha since she made sure to program Karen to tell her when Peter got hurt, didn’t know, either.

They didn’t know until Natasha walked calmly into the common room, back early from her mission.

“You’re back early.” Steve had been the first to notice her.

“Peter got hurt, and someone needed to teach the criminal a lesson,” she shrugged, before getting in the elevator.

She rolled her eyes fondly when she found Peter’s family around him, all asleep. Natasha gently nudged them awake, sparing them from even worse sore joints.

As they woke up, she snatched Peter’s phone that had started ringing. She raised her eyebrow at the startling amount of notifications. “I’m going to deal with whoever is blowing up Peter’s phone. You stay here with him. And don’t worry,” she smiled at Tony. “I made sure that man can’t hurt anyone again.”

* * *

Peter woke up, his abdomen sore. But his surroundings were familiar, and he knew with his enhanced healing, he would be okay soon enough.

“Hi,” he smiled weakly at the group of people in the room.

Everyone was immediately around him, glad he was okay. Tony told him what had happened, while MJ took pride in telling him Natasha took care of the man. But May told him what he needed to hear: the girl, Amanda, was okay. She had been released from the hospital, suffering no more than a couple bruises and scrapes. He had saved her.

They all stayed in the room, only Pepper ducking out to get the food she had ordered for them. It had been a while since they had all been together in the same room, and even though it wasn’t under the best circumstances, it was nice to be together again.

They were all mid-laugh when Natasha re-entered the room.

“Hey, Nat!” Peter perked up.

“I’m glad to see you’re okay, Peter,” she smiled at him, ruffling his hair fondly. The smile dropped as she handed him his phone. “But I think you all forgot to tell someone Peter was hurt. I know you were all worried about Peter, so it really isn’t your fault. If you check your phones, I think you’ll see you all have missed calls and texts. I told him Peter was in the med bay. He’s on his way.”

“Harley,” Peter looked horrified as he looked at his phone. “Oh my god how could I forget? We had a fight last night, and I went on patrol, and I was supposed to go home, and we were going to talk, but I had to go and got shot and—“

“Peter,” Tony approached his kid. “Breathe. It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault. You were hurt. If anything, one of us should’ve said something. But Natasha’s right; we were all too concerned about you.”

Peter nodded, trying to calm down. “I just… He’s going to be so upset.”

“He loves you. He might be upset, but it’s because he cares,” Tony assured him.

“I wanted Karen to tell him, but it was too similar.” Peter’s eyes were squeezed shut. “But it was me this time, not Ben.”

The air was heavy. Everyone in the room had heard the story by then. They could understand why Peter hadn’t been able to tell Karen anything.

“He’ll understand,” May promised, pushing Peter’s hair off of his forehead. “Because we do.” Her voice was sad, remembering that night. It haunted both Parkers. But they got through it, together.

“Please, don’t tell him it was because of Spider-Man,” Peter pleaded. “When he finds out, it needs to be from me.”

Everyone agreed. They knew how much Peter trusted them to know his secret identity, though May and Ned found out on accident, and MJ had figured it out herself. They knew why Peter was hesitant to tell his boyfriend, so they left the decision to him.

* * *

Harley was buzzing with nervous energy, dread building in his stomach. He hadn’t gotten any sleep, desperate to find out what happened. No one had answered his messages, until almost ten in the morning.

Harley was angry and upset, and close to tears when he saw Peter was calling him. Before he could speak, no idea what he was going to say, a familiar voice cut him off. It wasn’t Peter, but it was someone who could find out what happened.

“Peter’s going to be okay.”

Natasha. Harley breathed a sigh of relief. He trusted the woman’s words, knowing how much she cared about Peter, even if she rarely admitted it. “What happened?”

“He’s at the compound’s med bay.” She avoided his question. “Dr. Cho said he should wake up soon. I sent Sam to come get you. He’ll be there in five. We’ll see you soon.”

The line went dead, and Harley used the few minutes he had to quickly change clothes, brush his teeth, and grab an apple.

He was anxious the whole drive to the compound, but thankful Sam knew the right things to say. He didn’t tell him not to worry, or that everything was fine. He didn’t even touch the topic, asking about school instead. A safe topic that didn’t make Harley want to scream or cry.

“Thanks, Sam.” Harley dashed out of the car, calling over his shoulder. “Your next upgrade is going to be even better than the last.”

Harley made the familiar trek to the med bay. He spotted Dr. Cho first, and approached her. “What happened to Peter?”

She smiled softly at him. “He got hurt last night. Nothing he won’t heal from, I promise.”

“But what happened? How— I just…”

“I can’t tell you. I’m sorry, Harley, but I’ve told you everything I can. Doctor patient confidentiality.”

“Can I see him?”

“I’ll go ask May and Tony. As his guardians, they have to clear visitors.”

A moment later, Tony walked out, looking disheveled and tired, but relieved. “Harley,” the man greeted his mentee. “I want to apologize for not reaching out to you sooner. We were just so wrapped up in Peter.”

Harley didn’t like it, but he understood. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Tony shook his head. “That’s Peter’s story to tell. No one in that room, besides Peter, can tell you. It’s his place to talk, not ours. But you can come in.”

Harley nodded, hesitant. He didn’t like not knowing what happened, or what injuries Peter had. It had to be serious, since anything Peter deemed minor, he dealt with himself. Harley took a deep breath, then walked in. Everyone turned to look at him, sheepish looks on their face.

“Harley,” Peter called out to him from the hospital bed.

“Peter,” Harley breathed. He stayed put for a moment, categorizing Peter’s appearance. He looked tired, but happy to see him. There were a couple almost- faded bruises on his right cheekbone, and a small scar on his forehead. _When did he get that_? Harley frowned, not remembering seeing it before.

As Peter tried to sit up, Harley noticed his boyfriend wince. May helped him sit up, gently chiding him and pulling his hand away from his stomach.

“What happened?” Harley asked again, desperation seeping into his voice against his will. “Please.”

May stood up, and began ushering everyone out. “I think they’re going to need some time without us. We’ll be right down the hall, Pete.” She kissed his forehead, before leaving, closing the door gently behind her.

“I’m so sorry.” Peter began rambling, his mouth trying to keep up with his brain. “I was keeping track of the time, and I have a reminder in case I forget, but then something happened, and I was going to call you, but then I got hurt and really couldn’t move, and then I woke up here, and—”

Harley felt like he was going to burst. He was angry that something was being kept from him, upset that Peter had gotten hurt and he hadn’t known, worried because he thought the worst had happened, and relieved that Peter was awake and talking, and going to be okay. His shoulders started shaking as the tears threatened to spill.

“Hey, hey, come here.” Peter held out his arms to his boyfriend, voice soft and caring. “I’m going to be okay, sweetheart.”

It was the pet name that did him in. Harley almost, but not quite because he still wasn’t sure what injuries Peter had, flung himself into his boyfriend’s arms, tears running down his cheeks. He breathed heavily as Peter ran his fingers through Harley’s hair, whispering words of endearment.

“Shhh, it’s okay. I’m okay, you’re okay. We’re together.”

Harley didn’t know how much time had passed. He was running on empty, and being safe in Peter’s arms was enough to lull him to sleep.

* * *

When Harley woke up, Peter was talking softly to Natasha in Russian. He had asked her how her mission had gone, and she had humored him, before promising him the man who had shot Peter would never hurt someone again. He thanked her, before asking her what she thought he should do about telling Harley his secret. He trusted her advice. She understood better than everyone else (besides Tony) who had visited him, the danger Harley could be in if he knew.

_“I think you should tell him. There will always be danger, but this secret is big. I know you’re happy together. Spider-Man shouldn’t ruin that.”_

_“I… I really do trust him. But I’ve already lost my parents, and Ben, and almost Tony, if it hadn’t been for Dr. Strange.”_ Peter remembered how it had felt, standing next to Pepper and Rhodey in front of Tony as he died. It had been the worst experience in Peter’s life. As much as it hurt knowing his parents had died, he didn’t remember them all that well. Ben had hurt, had hurt so much. Peter never thought he’d know pain greater than that. But Tony’s death had been worse. Maybe it was because Peter knew how to use his powers, and felt like he could’ve done more. Maybe it had been because Tony had mourned him for five years, and just as Peter came back, he had died. Maybe it had been because Peter had already lost three parental figures, and losing Tony had completely broken him. He had been inconsolable during the ten minutes Tony had been dead.

But Dr. Strange had done _something_ , something no one was quite sure what it was, and both Tony _and_ Natasha had come back.

Peter, Morgan, Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and May, had stayed with Tony while he healed. They all lived together in the cabin, catching up on lost time, unwilling to be separated. That had been around the time Peter and Harley had met.

 _“I understand,”_ Natasha had smiled sadly at him. _“You’ve faced too much loss for someone your age. It’s your choice, Peter. We’ll support you, no matter what. But I think you should tell him. Tell him what you told me.”_

_“Thanks, Nat.”_

Natasha took her leave after greeting Harley.

“Hey, sleepyhead.” Peter kissed his boyfriend’s forehead. “You feeling better?”

Harley nodded, yawning. For a moment, it felt like nothing happened, like the two of them were waking up in their apartment. “How long was I asleep?”

“A few hours,” Peter shrugged. “It’s almost two. You needed the sleep.”

Everything came rushing back. Harley’s eyes widened as he reluctantly untangled himself from Peter. Quickly, but gently, he began checking Peter for injuries. “What happened?”

Peter looked uncomfortable at the question. “It’s fine. I’ve had worse.”

“ _Parker_ ,” Harley warned. “Please, don’t test me.”

Sighing, Peter looked at the ceiling. “It’s just… I don’t know if it’s a good idea to tell you. I want to, trust me. I love and trust you, and I hate keeping secrets from you. I hate making our friends and family keep this from you. But it’s big, and life-changing, and telling you could put you in a lot of danger. I-I can’t—” He shook his head, squeezing Harley’s hand.

“If you trust me, tell me!” Harley was desperate, the panic clawing at his chest again. “Whatever it is, I’ll be here, as long as you want me. I need something. I feel like whatever this is, it’s coming between us, and I _can’t_ lose you! You’re the one person I can’t lose. I… _god_ , Parker, I love you so much it terrifies me. Every time I get close to someone, I know they could leave, and it would be so much worse. My dad, my friends when I came out. I can’t add you to that list.”

“I can’t lose you either, Harley.” Peter’s eyes were wide, needing Harley to believe him. “I’m not trying to push you away. I love you, and we’ve come too far. I just… this will change _everything_. You’re going to worry more when I go out. And if the wrong people find out, they could hurt you. I haven’t told you, because I can’t watch you die, and know it’s my fault. I’ve lost people, too. My parents, and Ben, and if Tony hadn’t come back, I would’ve shattered. I should’ve protected Ben. I should be able to remember _something_ about my parents, but all I know are the stories May tells me. I was so close to Tony when it happened.” Peter started tearing up, too. “Your loss shaped you, like mine shaped me. I can sometimes barely manage the thought that May, Ned, and MJ know. I have nightmares of them dying in front of me all the time. I relive Ben’s death, and Tony’s death. If you died, it would kill me.”

They held tight to each other, needing the reassurance they were together. Harley hated talking about his hometown, and how everyone except his mom and sister had turned on him when he came out. Peter hated talking about the nightmares during the day, because it made them feel more real. But they had to, to understand each other.

As Peter clung to his boyfriend, he played Natasha’s words over again in his head. The rest of his family had told him something similar. In any other relationship, Peter might break it off. He couldn’t drag someone into the superhero life. But Harley was different. Had always been different, in a good way. Peter trusted him quicker than he had almost anyone else. And Harley understood the superhero life better than almost any civilian. They both worked with _Tony Stark_ and made gear for the Avengers.

Sighing heavily, Peter knew what he was about to say would change everything. There was no going back.

“I got shot last night. Three bullets.” He ignored the way Harley’s grip tightened on him, and the hitch in the other boy’s breath. He had to say it. “I was going to have Karen tell you I was injured, but I started reliving Ben’s death. I couldn’t handle it. I woke up here. Tony got me. I was in the park, the one where people have been getting attacked. Karen told me an attack was happening, and I had to stop it. The girl is safe. But the man used me as leverage to get away. I let him. Once we were away from civilians, I got a few good punches in. But I got distracted, and he shot me. Karen activated the “Funky-Town" Protocol. I’ll have her add you.”

“Why were you—” Harley choked out, trying to form a sentence, but all he could focus on was that Peter had been shot.

Peter smiled tiredly, exhaustion in his eyes. “I’ve been there every night this week. I got… kind of lucky last night. It’s fine, sweetheart. He can’t hurt anyone again. Natasha took care of it. But when you have the power to do something good, you use it. I go on “walks” for a reason. The same place I went when I had impromptu “study sessions” last year. My family would cover for me. I don’t go with Tony on Avengers missions to watch vitals and make repairs. I’m the only one allowed to work on Rhodey’s suit and braces, and Spider-Man’s gear for a reason. The reason I’m always getting hurt, but fine in no time. Nat taught me Russian and only lets me give her upgrades for a reason. The same reason my bruises are gone, and the scar from the cut I got is healed.”

Harley glanced up, seeing what Peter was saying was true.

“And why I’ll be able to leave the med-bay tonight, healed. Because I’m Spider-Man.”

* * *

Harley didn’t know what he expected, but it wasn’t that.

His boyfriend, his clumsy, loving, sarcastic, genius, boyfriend, was a superhero. It explained so much. It explained the “Code Reds” and the mysterious disappearances, and why the Avengers would stop discussing certain things when Harley walked in the room. The bruises that healed too quickly. The unspoken story behind how he and Tony met. It even explained the little things, like how Peter was able to drag their couch up the stairs when they moved into their apartment without breaking a sweat.

“I—“ Harley didn’t know what to say. “They told me you were on coms when… at the end of the battle.” He avoided saying the words “ _Tony died.”_ Neither of them needed that reminder. “But you were there. You fought Thanos. _You died_. I knew Spider-Man…”

“I’m here now,” Peter soothed his boyfriend, trying not to remember what happened on Titan. “I know this is a lot to process. I know we’re going to need to talk more about this. I’m going to have someone train with you. But right now, we’re together. You’re alive, I’m alive. As soon as Dr. Cho lets me go, we can curl up on my bed. You can meet Karen. She’s my AI.”

Harley nodded.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. But being a hero is dangerous. I know how Tony worries for Pepper. She’s more than capable, but that doesn’t take away worry. If a villain finds out, they can use you to get to me. I never want to put you in that situation. That’s the only reason I didn’t tell you. And everyone agreed it was my secret to tell. I don’t want to be known to the public as Spider-Man. I’m not like the rest of the Avengers. I like having a secret identity. It makes me feel a little more normal. But I can’t keep it from you anymore. I don’t want to, especially if it makes you doubt how I feel about you. That is _not_ your fault,” Peter silenced Harley’s unspoken worries. “You’ve been hurt. It’s not your fault. I will never leave you, Harley. I might have to go on a mission, or come to the compound to train. I might lock myself in the lab to do upgrades. Sometimes, I just have to keep myself busy. But I will always come back home to you.”

“I love you.” Harley knew there was still a lot to talk about, but knowing the truth made him feel lighter. No more hiding. Peter was right— Harley was definitely going to worry more, but he was also going to support Peter. His boyfriend was a superhero. Peter needed to help people. And Harley was going to help him. He was going to talk to Peter’s family, and figure out what he needed to know, and how to help.

“I love you, too.” Peter’s face was soft. He kissed his boyfriend, before turning towards the door, head tilted sightly. “They’re so loud,” he grumbled, but the look in his eyes gave away his true feelings. “I can hear them from miles away. Family is about to barge in.”

Harley couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. When the door opened, everyone walked in, laughing and talking, no tension in their shoulders. He knew they were used to Peter being hurt, but it didn’t make it easier. But the happiness they were exuding meant they knew everything would be okay. They were all together, which in itself was a huge feat.

This was family. And he wouldn’t trade it for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> i've been reading a lot of parkner, and i gotta say, i love these two. so i tried writing them! I hope I did them justice.
> 
> Also, I feel like Harley and Sam would get along, so I made them kind of friends here. 10 points to your house if you understand the Supernatural reference.
> 
> (title from a song i was listening to while writing this, since i suck at coming up with titles)


End file.
